Bulkhead Repair

Gulf CMC is the number 1 source for seawall & bulkhead repairs.

Seawall repairs / Bulkhead repairs are a common concern faced by coastal dwellers, and shoreline residences, particularly in the Galveston area. A waterfront Seawall or Bulkhead is constantly impacted, and stressed by water flow, via tidal flux, and seasonal storms. This has been a major concern for residents in Tiki Island, Bayou Vista, and Galveston. No matter how well engineered eventually all seawalls and bulkheads will face erosion and weathering and thus all Seawall / Bulkheads will require repairs at some point.

Seawalls and Bulkheads can be an engineering marvels if constructed correctly. Frequently, however, their construction is less than satisfactory and after only a few several years they will begin to show signs of stress and begin eroding soil under and through cracks in your Seawall or Bulkhead. This can pose a dangerous threat to persons near or adjacent to the walls after erosion begins, due to unstable earth and concrete after voiding of the soils. Often, these voids are covered by vegetation and are hidden from casual view. Seawalls or Bulkheads in need of repair can also pose a huge threat to nearby buildings and structures once the erosion cycle starts. Once this process starts, it’s a constant, and usually losing battle to repair the erosion areas such as cracks and holes and to continue filling eroded soil voids with new soil to retain proper soil compaction to support these structures.

SEAWALL / BULKHEAD ANCHOR FAILURE SIGNS: What To Look For:

Prolonged exposure to saltwater where corrosion has deteriorated the Anchor Rod and fasteners to a point where excesses in weight or loading from behind the wall creates possible failures of the Seawall or Bulkhead.

SEAWALL / BULKHEAD CAP FAILURE SIGNS: What To Look For:

Galveston Seawalls and Galveston Bulkheads are prone to erosion.

Despite the fact that they are designed to repel water (from Galveston Bay or Gulf) as well as contain the neighboring soils, while getting constantly beaten and worn by weather, gravity, rising and falling tides, boat wakes, currents, seasonal water level changes, etc., during heavy rain events, Seawall or Bulkheads must be able to “exhale” the newly introduced water in the soils into the adjacent water body. If they are not “exhaled,” extreme hydraulic pressure will be exerted on the seawall. Because water seeks the path of least resistance, it will eventually find a weak area (panel joint, attachment anchor) or eventually crack a panel. In a “worse-case scenario,” the water will exit underneath the seawall panels taking soil with it. This can cause extremely weak soils and thus soil erosion occurs from the upper soils at a very rapid pace. And, because the weak soil zones can and do happen at any vertical level in the surrounding, adjacent soils, soil collapse can occur. More commonly, soil erosion causes soils located directly behind the seawall begin to weaken and create voids. We have had cases where you could actually see the soil color difference in the water, directly below and close to the bottom of the seawall structure!

When seawall repair is required, it is something that must be addressed immediately. Waiting can lead to major erosion of property as the issue will continuously worsen. If that happens, your vulnerability to storms and high tides will increase. Eventually, total collapse may take place with catastrophic results. We are the experts in Galveston seawall and bulkhead repairs, and will inspect your entire waterfront for any other areas requiring remediation. We can make recommendations as to the best course of action. Gulf CMC is the number 1 rated contractor for bulkhead repairs in Galveston, Tiki Island, and Bayou Vista.